Compact latching relay employing an improved latching machanism



Aug. 17, 1965 H. B. DIAMANT 3,201,544 COMPACT LATCHING RELAY EMPLOYING AN IMPROVED LATCHING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 14, 1962 fig-m =1? q Hum iiliii I6 60 45441 2 30 62 66 3? 4 I ha F 1c]. 2. I IO- 3 38 67 I4 40 43 -24 3% 76" \f agf INVENTOR HE MRI 8. DIAMANT ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3 201,544 COMPACT LATCHIN G RELAY EMPLOYING AN IMPROVED LATCHIN G MECHANISM Henri B. Diamant, State College, Pa, assignor to HRB- Singer, Inc., State College, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 14, 1962, Ser. No. 244,656 1 Claim. (Cl. 200-98) This invention relates to an external plug board latching selector and more particularly, relates to a single and relatively small latching relay and socket for attachment to a standard program panel board.

One of the prime objects of my invention is to provide a relatively small, compact and sensitive latching relay.

An object of my invention is to provide a mechanical latching relay to be used in conjunction with program panel boards for performing logical operations or for changing logical operations.

' A further object of this invention is to provide a mechanical latching relay cooperating with a socket which is plugged into a program panel board for effecting desired logical operations.

The above mentioned and other features and objects of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of my novel selector;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view showing the internal parts of my invention;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal sectional View along the lines 33 of FIGURE 2, with certain :parts omitted;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of the latching mechanism of this invention; and

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal sectional view along the I plane of the lines 55 of FIGURE 2 showing the position of the external contacts of my selector.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, there is shown my selector 2 comprising a socket 4 and latching relay 8. The latching relay is enclosed in a plastic container or cover 9 so that the external position of the parts may be readily observed by a programmer. Because of the compact construction, the plastic container has dimensions of A x 1% x 1% (ht) inches.

Socket holes 6 are provided which may engage prongs which are normally available in the panel board of programmed computers. Each of the apertures have conductive Walls or leads which provide electrical contact with the respective terminals of the latching relay 8.

As shown more specifically in FIGURE 2, my latching relay 8 comprises an actutaing coil 10 and a releasing coil 12, both of which are positioned in substantial aligned relationship and are upright relative to the bottom of base 18. By positioning the relays upright and in parallel relationship, I obtain a smaller compact unit.

Actuating coil 10 is mounted on an L-shaped bracket 14, the transverse portion of which is securably fastened to a stud 16 which extends from the upper part of the actuating coil 10. The vertical leg of bracket 14 is secured to base 18 by means of screw 2t in a manner which will become apparent later.

Releasing coil 12 has a similar stud 22 centrally located on the bottom part which is secured to a suitable aperture in L-shaped bracket 24. Bracket 24 is positioned such that the transverse part is adjacent the bottom of releasing coil 12. Bracket 24 is secured to an angle member 28 which in turn is fastened to a connecting bar 26 by means of screws 30 and 31 (FIGURES 2 and 3). Releasing coil 12 and bracket 24 are thus suspended but are rigidly fastened to the selector 2 by means of the connecting bar 26 and the angle member 28.

Associated with actuating coil 10 are a plurality of sets of contacts, two of such sets being shown in FIGURE 2. The first contact set comprises fixed contacts 36 and 38 and a movable contact 40, and the second set comprises fixed contacts 36' and 38' and movable contact 40'. All of the contacts are thin metallic strips which are positioned in upright, parallel relationship and are separated by a series of insulative spacers 43. The assembly of the contacts and the spacers is secured to the base 18 by means of the aforementioned screw 20.

The movable contacts 40 have extensions 41 and 41, respectively, which engage and are moved by a movable insulative strip 54 (FIGURES 2 and 3). v

The actuation of the movable insulative strip necessarily depends upon the actuation of coil 10. Armature 42 of actuating coil 10 is pivoted about point 44. Armature 42 is substantially L-shaped and has a transverse member which pivots about an axis indicated generally by numeral 44 and an upright member which at its outermost end has an aperture 61 which snugly receives a complementary formed projection 60 on insulative strip 54.

Armature 42 has an extending end 46 on which tongue 50 of spring 48 bears to bias the armature counterclockwise in the normally open position, as shown by the dotted lines 52.

Referring also to FIGURE 3, it will be seen that the movable insulative strip 54 has central rectangular apertures 56 and 56'. The rectangular apertures define internal edges or walls 58 which abut against the extensions 41 of movable contact 40. The outer edge 58' of insulative strip 54 abuts against the extension 41 of movable contact 40'. Thus, when actuating coil 10 is momentarily energized, armature 42 pivots clockwise to move insulative strip 54 to the right and provide electrical connections between the movable contacts 40, 40 and the stationary contacts 38, 38, respectively. Holding means are provided to lock the movable insulative strip 54 in the extreme right position regardless of the subsequent state of actuating coil 10.

As shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, releasing coil 12 has an associated pivoted armature 62 which pivots about elements or studs 64, 64' (FIG. 3). These studs extend upwardly from the top edge of bracket 24 and are pivotally received in substantially complementary recesses formed in the armature 62. A spring 66 cooperates with armature 62 and is fastened to angle member 28 by means of a screw 67 and insulative spacer 69. The spring 66 has a tongue 68 which biases the armature 62 in an upward or outermost clockwise direction as shown.

Secured to armature 62 is a latching arm 70 having a detent head 72 which may be received within a complementary recess 24 in movable insulative strip 54. Before actuating coil 10 is energized, insulative strip 54 is at its maximum leftward position B and detent head 72 is at position B. Spring 48 acting on tongue 50 (FIG. 2) biases armature 42 to the maximum counterclockwise position shown by the dotted lines 52 which retains the insulative strip at position B (FIG. 4). Thus the normal rest position of the detent will be as shown at B. If the actuating coil 19 is not energized, detent head will not rise beyond position B because the complementary recess 74 of strip 54 in the position of B will not be aligned with the detent head 72. When coil 10 is energized, armature 42 is rotated clockwise to move projection 60 rightwards of strip 54 to position A; detent head 72 is received in recess 74 and moves to its uppermost position A. In position A, detent head 72 acts as a stop and prevents leftward movement of strip 54. Considering the rest position B, B: when coil 10 receives an actuating signal, strip 54 is moved rightwards and the normal bias on latch arm 79 causes detent head 72 to assume position A. Strip 54- can not move to the left unless and until release coil 12 is energized. The subsequent actuation of release coil 12 will cause'latch arm iii and detent head 72 to be lowered toassume the position indicated by C (FIG. 4); simultaneously, spring bias action on armature 42 of actuating coil causes the strip 54 to move to the left and assume the position of B since the detent in position C causes no interference. When the signal on release coil 12 is removed, detent head moves from position C to B. In this case, contacts 36, 36' will then engage movable contacts dtl and 40.

As shown in FIGURE 5, a plurality of external connectors "i6 and 79 have associated Wires '76 and '79, each of which connect, respectively, to the coils 1t) and 12. The actual details of such connections are not shown but are well within the skill of the art.

Similarly, the external contacts 86 and 88 are connected to or may be extensions of contacts 36 and 38, while external contacts 96 and 90' are adapted to be coupled to movable contacts 40 and 40'.

While the foregoing description sets forth the principles of the invention'in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation of the scope of the invention as set forth in the objects thereof and in the accompanying claim.

What is claimed is:

A latching relay comprising an insulative base,

a plurality of stationary contacts secured to said base,

contact switching means coupled to said actuating armature and engageable with said extensions to control-the position of said movable contacts,

and means including a pivoted latch arm having a detend head secured to said releasing coil armature to engage said contact switching means,

the axes of said coils and said contacts being aligned in substantially parallel directions, an insulative wafer connected to said movable contact means having at least one recess to receive said detent head,

said insulative Wafer being positioned so that said recess is aligned with said detent head only when said actuating armature is moved as a result of actuation of said armature coil, 7

said actuating armature being substantially L shaped consisting of transverse and upright portions, with the transverse portion of said armature positioned transverse to the actuating coil axis, and the said water. being attached to the upper part of said up right portion,

first andsecond L shaped frames secured to said insulated base and insulatively supporting said coils,

and first and second spring means secured to respective first and second L shaped frames biasing said actuating and releasing armatures,

said detent means being movable to any one of three positions,

'said first position being in abutting relationship to the bottom of said water,

said second position being in engagement with a corresponding recess of said wafer,

said third position being spaced from said wafer to allow return movement of said water.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/63 Marley 200-98 8/64 Young 200-98 

